


Painting The Sky

by PJO_Fangirl_13



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: F/M, one year after the mockingjay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-17 22:14:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29479029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PJO_Fangirl_13/pseuds/PJO_Fangirl_13
Summary: "So, the paint," Katniss observes as she unlatches the gate from the fence, pushing open the door and stepping outside of the district. She waits for Peeta to follow before she closes it and put that latch back in place so no little child will escape and be lost. "I'm assuming you want to paint the sunset?""We are going to paint the sunset," Peeta corrects .Her laugh is one of pure amusement. "Me? Paint?""I'll teach you."
Relationships: Katniss Everdeen/Peeta Mellark
Comments: 4
Kudos: 23





	Painting The Sky

"Where's the best place to watch a sunset?" 

Katniss looks up from her bowl of stew that she'd previously been stirring up with her spoon and meets Peeta's curious gaze from across the table. "Uh, the meadow," she responds after taking a moment to think the question through, her eyebrows furrowing in the process. Where had this come from? She'd gotten home not three hours earlier from hunting, empty handed, but fortunately, they had left overs from days prior. As she'd walked through the door she had been pleasantly welcomed to the smell of stew and freshly bakes bread she'd quickly devoured the moment her and Peeta had sat down to enjoy their dinner. Now all of a sudden he's asking about sunsets? "Why?" 

"I want to try something," is all he says before finishing up. 

After dinner, once their bowls are emptied and all that's left of the bread is crumbs on the tabletop, and their dishes are cleaned, she waits outside by the door while Peeta gathers all his supplies he's bringing along. Katniss impatiently rocks on the balls of her feet as she waits for him, eyes closed as she lets the sun wash over her in a warm golden glow, the summer air ruffling the stray hairs that had fallen out of her long braid. 

"Okay, let's go," Peeta says as he steps out of the doors and her eyes blink open at the sound of his voice, a smile tugging on her lips just at the sight of him. His hair had grown slightly longer, the blond strands reaching the nape of his neck, and his blue eyes are so full of excitement she can't help but wonder what he's got planned. As he shuts the door, Katniss notices his hands are occupied with two canvases and a basket full of paints and brushes, and she's now got an inkling of an idea. 

"Need help carrying anything?" she asks, holding out her hands and Peeta gives her a grateful smile as he places the canvases in her arms. "It's a long walk. Will you be okay?" Her grey eyes travel down to where his left leg should be, but instead a prosthetic takes its place. Katniss is well aware that he's survived the Quarter Quell and everything after with it, but he still struggles walking long distance and once in a while she finds him using the cane to help him walk when the prosthetic irritates what's left. 

Peeta nods as they begin to walk through district twelve towards the place where there once had been an electrical fence that had separated the wooded areas from the town for so many years, but now a fence with a gate had been built in its replacement. "Yeah, I'll be fine." 

"So, the paint," Katniss observes as she unlatches the gate from the fence, pushing open the door and stepping outside of the district. She waits for Peeta to follow before she closes it and put that latch back in place so no little child will escape and be lost. "I'm assuming you want to paint the sunset?" 

"We are going to paint the sunset," Peeta corrects .

Her laugh is one of pure amusement. "Me? Paint?" 

"I'll teach you." 

Katniss reluctantly agrees and reaches over to take his hand, and he slips his fingers through hers as they continue towards the direction of the meadow. She still can't believe how right this feels, to be with Peeta. Not for the Games, not for the cameras, not for the Capitol's amusement, and not for Snow's needs, but for her. For them. She finds herself smiling, something she rarely ever does, during their walk and she dreads the moment she has to let go of him. 

"This is perfect," Peeta comments as they're finally standing in the destination. The grassland filled with flowers and wildlife goes down a slope, trees lining the border and the sun sets behind them, causing the beams to illuminate the flowers in yellow. They stay at the top of the slope, and Peeta sets the basket down, taking out the pain bottles and brushes so he can grab the tarp he's tucked away at the bottom. Katniss drops the canvases gently on the ground so she can help spread it out. "Thanks." 

Katniss hums as she sits down, kicking her shoes off, and leaning back against her hands as a warm gust of wind ruffles through the trees, the birds singing high above. It's peaceful, and that's exactly what she needs; peace. All she wants to do is sit there with Peeta, never leaving his company, and enjoy the beautiful scenery displayed in front of them. She's caught in the bubble of bliss the meadow as placed around her, so when Peeta mutters something from beside her, she doesn't quite catch it and asks, "What?" 

"Where's the canvases?" Peeta repeats, the paints already spread out in front of them, wooden pallet on either side, one for each of them, and she can't help something that stirs inside her chest that he'd planned this. Katniss reaches beside her and grabs the white rectangles that are about three feet long, two feet wide, and hands one to Peeta, leaving one for herself. 

She sits up, setting the canvas down on her crossed legs and grabbing a paintbrush. "You're the artist," Katniss says as if it's not already obvious, watching as he pours different colors of paint on her pallet in small circles. "Teach me." 

Peeta smiles and grabs his own brush, dipping it in the yellow paint so she does to same, waiting patiently for later instructions on how to paint a sunset. "Just cover the whole canvas in the different colors that you see in the sky, and make sure to blend them." 

Her lips dip downwards in a frown. "The whole view isn't just the sky though." 

"Once it dries, we'll add the grass and trees," he says, already making gentle strokes with the brush bristles against the white roughness, and she watches in satisfaction as he blends the yellow with the orange paint. "Just copy me." 

Katniss nods, even though she knows he's focusing on the project in front of him, and dips to paintbrush in the yellow pigment. With a shaky hand, she spreads it across the canvas and makes her way up until she reaches the point where Peeta started using orange. Switching colors, she glances between her and Peeta's observing how he blends the colors together so well, and tries her best to copy it. 

As the paint fills in the emptiness, she's pleasantly surprised at how calming this is. Each stroke of the brush against the white surface is like taking another breath of the fresh air and she can never get enough of it. Out of the corner of her eye, Katniss sees Peeta set his brush down on the tarp, already done with his painting, and he smiles at her. She can't help her lips twitch up into a small grin as warmth overcomes her body. 

Beside her, Peeta scoots closer and props his chin against her shoulder though she doesn't push him away. His hair feels soft against her cheek and she leans into him slightly as she blends the orange with the light pink. "You're enjoying this," he says, "Real or Not Real." 

Her face breaks out into a genuine grin as he brings up the 'game' they'd made up a year ago when Peeta had been confused on what had been real and what had been a lie. Every now and then, he'll fall into a flashback and grips onto something until they pass, and Katniss is always there to tell him what's real and what isn't. "Real," she mutters.

"So you'll go on painting dates with me?" 

Her eyes show nothing but amusement as she replies, "Sure, Peeta." 

Minutes later, Katniss sets the dirty paintbrush down and grabs the recently colored canvas with her paint covered hands as she proudly announces she's finished. She takes it in, as does Peeta, and she's a bit shocked to find it's not half bad for her first time ever painting besides their brief art classes in elementary school. But it's nothing compared to Peeta's.

"Wow," Peeta breathlessly says, lifting his chin from her shoulder. 

She turns to look at him, cheeks flushed. "That bad, huh?" 

"No, no." He shakes his head. "It's actually really good." 

"Yours is amazing too." 

Peeta playfully nudges her. "Just take the compliment." 

Katniss rolls her eyes, though her teasing tone when she speaks defeats the purpose of the gesture, "Fine. Thank you for you kind compliment towards my painting of a sunset. It is highly appreciated." 

"That's better," Peeta says then leans over and catches her lips in his. Taken aback by the sudden contact, Katniss takes a minute before her eyes flutter closed and she leans into him, kissing him back. Something stirs inside her chest and she feels the hunger she had felt in the cave and during the Quarter Quell, and the night she'd confirmed her love for him. When they pull away seconds later, he's smiling and she does too. "We've painted the sky," he says, his eyes leaving hers to glance over at the setting sun. The sound of crickets fill their ears, and Katniss doesn't think she's heard anything more musical. 

"And now, we add the grass," Katniss says. 

"I was trying to sound poetic," Peeta tells her. 

Katniss lets out a breathy laugh. "Oh, whatever." 

But it was true, they've painted the sky. Where many of their loved ones rest peacefully. 


End file.
